2 lawyers file to run for empty judgeship

By Jeremy Pawloski | The Olympian • Published July 01, 2008

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OLYMPIATwo attorneys – OLYMPIA -- Two attorneys - defense attorney Sam Meyer and assistant Attorney General Greg Rosen — have announced they will run for the Thurston County District Court judgeship that became vacant after C.L. “Kip” Stilz died last week.

More candidates for the vacant judgeship might be forthcoming. A three-day filing period for candidates started Tuesday and runs through July 10, according to the Thurston County Auditor's Office. Declarations of candidacy for the judgeship will be accepted between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays at the Auditor's Office, 2000 Lakeridge Drive S.W., Olympia.

Rosen, 49, wrote in a news release that he has extensive judicial experience, having served as a pro-tem judge in Thurston County District Court for the past 12 years and a pro-tem judge in Olympia Municipal Court from 1996 to 2003. Pro-tem judges fill in when elected judges are on leave or are otherwise absent from the bench.

Before working in his current position as assistant attorney general in the criminal justice division, Rosen served as a Thurston County deputy prosecuting attorney for eight years, according to his release. He is a member of the Dispute Resolution Center board of directors and has lived in Thurston County since 1986.

Meyer, 45, began his legal career as a law clerk for Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerry Alexander, who is endorsing Meyer for District Court judge, according to Meyer's news release. Meyer had a general private practice from 1996 to 2004, when he accepted his current position at the Thurston County Office of Assigned Counsel.

In a news release, Meyer also touted his experience serving as a pro-tem judge in Thurston County District Court, Olympia Municipal Court and Yelm Municipal Court.